The big reveal of the 2026 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show came about three-quarters of the way through the extravaganza. It followed Bella Hadid in stilettos and a bejeweled bra, Megan Moroney in baby pink marabou wings, Tate Mc Rae in a crimson corset, and a "Pink" section featuring Katseye and Trinity Rodman. Then came the unveiling: the Fantasy Bra, a $50 million creation by Jacob Arabo of Jacob & Co. featuring a 75.54-carat vivid yellow diamond amid 4,410 white diamonds, modeled by Kylie Jenner. It was the first time a Fantasy Bra had appeared on a Victoria's Secret runway since 2018.
The bra is the latest step in a return to form for the brand over the past two years. Victoria's Secret revived the runway, which was canceled in 2019 as ties between Les Wexner and Jeffrey Epstein were exposed, and brought back the Angels, who had been retired in 2021. It even brought back Gisele Bündchen in a cameo video, and it returned the show to Los Angeles for the first time in nearly 20 years.
Yet the Fantasy Bra also suggests how much the brand's idea of sexy has reverted to pre-#MeToo definitions. Amid hooting and catcalling from the front row, including from Jenner's boyfriend, Timothée Chalamet, and her mother, Kris Jenner, the show leaned on a familiar Vargas girl-Playboy tradition centered on legs, breasts and bottoms. Chief executive Hillary Super and creative director Adam Selman talk about women owning their bodies, but the show's sexy framing remains very specific.
Selman says the Fantasy Bra was brought back because fans asked for it, and the strategy appears to be working: the company's share price has surged this year.
Source: New York Times Business · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing